Building cooperatives towards community goals

PV: The 2024 Action Month for Cooperatives is a meaningful event not only for 30,000 cooperatives nationwide but also creates attraction and influence throughout society. So in the Action Month, what is the biggest message that the Cooperative Alliance wants to send, Madam?

Ms. Cao Xuan Thu Van: The message I want to convey most is that when participating in the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, everyone will feel proud. Thereby, creating a spread throughout society so that everyone is more interested in cooperatives, chooses cooperatives to start a business, and chooses cooperatives to associate and connect.

Strawberry growing model in Dong Sang commune, Moc Chau district ( Son La ). Photo: Dong Sang.

In each content mentioned in the Action Month for Cooperatives in 2024, which communication stage does the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance focus on the most to create a strong spread, Madam?

- I hope all events are communicated, but we have 2 highlights. The first is the Ceremony to honor typical cooperatives and award the Vietnam Cooperative Star Award 2024 "CoopStar Awards 2024" to prove that those who are hardworking and patient have contributed to the cooperative to create achievements and are honored today. They are the ones who demonstrate that the role of cooperatives, the nature of cooperatives is good and has an important role and position in the economy . Another event that we want to spread is the first National Cooperative Forum in 2024. Through this event, we want to connect the voice of cooperatives to the Government, to ministries, branches and to society. From there, create momentum to connect the remaining satellite activities, which are support policies such as: Access to capital support, communication activities, training activities, and human resource development for cooperatives.

Madam, to realize the projects being implemented, what specific actions does the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance have?

- With its responsibility, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance must do its best, because its task and mission are the core roles. The Cooperative Alliance must fulfill its assigned responsibilities. We do not stop at money as a resource, but the most important resource is to propose policies. And those proposals are supported by ministries and branches to be submitted to competent authorities for promulgation. Currently, we see that ministries, branches and the Government are very interested in this issue. We must be the ones to propose and remove obstacles and bottlenecks, thereby developing cooperatives and bringing the Law on Cooperatives into life.

From your perspective, what role does the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance play in economic development in Vietnam, Madam?

- Collective economy exists not only in Vietnam but also in developed countries. We participate in the Council of the International Cooperative Alliance, so there are also cooperatives like Vietnam's. We expect that with those activities, we will connect with international cooperatives and the International Cooperative Federation. Currently, the Vietnamese economy is integrating, so cooperatives must also integrate. I believe that the best things will be crystallized in the products of cooperatives. Whether it is a service product, a material or immaterial product, a cultural or non-cultural product; a physical or an intangible product, all of this is crystallized in the value of the cooperative's products. In the near future, we will implement a project to honor typical products of cooperatives. We want to dedicate a playground for cooperative products. These products, these cooperatives will have a place to display, introduce, support and have the opportunity to develop. Through that, we will connect to consume products; Connecting cooperatives to have more development partners.

The collective economy is an important economic component of the country, and policies are increasingly supported and improved. So, besides support, is it extremely important to arouse collective strength to "arouse the people's strength" to cooperate, develop together, and connect together, madam?

- I think this is very important because collective will and collective discussion are always valuable, but there must be criteria for orientation. When entering a cooperative, we must pay attention from the very first stage, which is digital transformation, the application of technology, and scientific issues to increase value. Second, we must train managers, which means hiring a director instead of sending someone to do the job. Because when sending someone up, they may be enthusiastic but without skills, without management and administration knowledge, they cannot do it. In addition, there is another issue that cooperatives really need, which is the land support policy that must be implemented, and the support must be consistent. In addition, priority should be given to tax policies as well as support for human resource training so that more and more people know about cooperatives. Another special thing is that nowadays, wherever there is a young force in the cooperative's organizational apparatus, the ability to grow is very high, but it still needs qualified people, people who are dedicated to the community's goals, to the social goals, not to the profit goals.

Thank you very much!

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